Get Swept Away - with Loveswept!

One of the big buzzes in New York at the RWA Nationals conference was the resurrection of Random House's LOVESWEPT series. Fans were rejoicing and others were wanting more information - both as readers and as authors. So we figured - why not go right to the source?

Please welcome Sue Grimshaw to the blog today. Sue's the Category Specialist and Editor at Large at Random House, and she runs the Romance at Random site. She's going to answer a few of our questions about Loveswept.

What is Loveswept, which titles are coming back, and what new titles are being offered?

Basically we are bring back old favourites and publishing new too – LS continues its tradition as an author focused imprint - “Love stories you’ll never forget by authors you’ll always remember.”  Eight titles will be relaunched in August (8/8), adding one or two titles each month.  Retailing from $2.99 to $4.99 promoted on www.romanceatrandom.com and other popular blog sites.  The titles are formatted for all online retailers and in the UK.

Eight titles include:

Remember the Time by Annette Reynolds

The Vow by Juliana Garnett

This Fierce Splendor by Iris Johansen

The Baron by Sally Goldenbaum

Lightning That Lingers by Sharon & Tom Curtis

Tall, Dark & Lonesome by Debra Dixon

Dream Lover by Adrienne Staff

Legends by Deborah Smith

Spellbound by Adrienne Staff

Here is the press release:

Bantam’s Loveswept imprint was one of the most popular romance imprints in the 1980s and 1990s and now Random House is reviving Loveswept as an e-book only line that will release its first titles in August. The new imprint will be a collaboration between Random U.S. and Random House Group’s Transworld Publishers division which will let the company release e-books simultaneously in North America, the U.K., and the British Commonwealth.

In the U.S., each title will include bonus content, and previously released titles will be reintroduced with new packaging. Random is promising an “aggressive marketing campaign” the will feature the original Loveswept tagline: “Love stories you’ll never forget by authors you’ll always remember.” Random will support the program with retailer promotions at major e-book accounts, national print advertising, digital and social network advertising, and online marketing. Prices will range from $2.99 to $4.99.

“Ballantine Bantam Dell has a treasure trove of romance classics we want to share with a new generation of readers,” said Scott Shannon, senior v-p, publisher, Digital Content, Random House Publishing Group. The Loveswept U.S. publishing effort will be overseen by Gina Wachtel, v-associate publisher, Mass Market, Del Rey/Spectra and Digital, along with the Ballantine Bantam Dell editorial team and Sue Grimshaw, category specialist and editor-at-large who will host a new Web site, RomanceAtRandom.com, that launches June 23. The site will serve as a place where authors, agents, editors, bloggers, book clubs, and readers can gather to discuss all things romance, including books published by Random House, other publishers, and self-published authors, while promoting Loveswept and Ballantine Bantam Dell titles which will be available for sale through the site.

After the August debut of Loveswept the imprint will release one title per month, but could move that to two relatively soon. The launch list will be comprised of titles from the Bantam catalogue with the first e-original set for October, Shannon said, adding the Loveswept will likely do six to 12 e-originals annually. The first list includes e-books from bestselling author Iris Johansen,  This Fierce Splendor, and will also include Remember The Time by Annette Reynolds, Dream Lover by Adrienne Staff, The Vow by Julianna Garnett, The Baron by Sally Goldenbaum, Lighting That Lingers by Sharon and Tom Curtis, Talk, Dark and Lonesome by Debra Dixon, and Legends by Deb Smith.

It’s presented as digital first – is there a print program or will there be a print program in the future?

LS is digital first however, there is always a print option.  Once we see the demand and need for print books we’ll be better able to determine what makes sense for the line. 

What is the word count of these books? Do they fit the definition of Category Romance?

LS is the same type of program it was years ago – we are not considering the line category, as the depth and length of the books will vary.  We are reviewing submissions of 30K to 90K, from all the sub-genres within romance.  The overall content fits that of single title more than that of category.

Is the program open to brand new authors? If so, are there submission guidelines for writers?

LS, was and has been, an author focused line – our goal is to build author brands as was done with LS Best Seller, Iris Johansen.  Debut’s are a very significant part of our plan for the imprint – 4 new debut authors have been signed and will be released late 2011 and throughout 2012 and we’ve plans for many more .J

BECAUSE OF YOU is our first book releasing in November 2011.  This is the first in Jessica Scott’s, COMING HOME Trilogy, books 2 and 3 releasing in 2012.

If you're interested in more information about the submission process, you can e-mail romanceatrandom@randomhouse.com.

You can check out  the Romance at Random site www.romanceatrandom.com , and also on FB, Twitter, Tumblr and Google Buzz.   

Thanks Sue, for being with us today!

Must Watch Friday: Just Go With It

Last time I did a Must Watch Friday slot, I talked about the bad run of film nights we had at home. Um… we continued to pick duds for a while after that, rom-coms that either just weren’t funny or didn’t give us a warm and fuzzy feeling. (Worst of all – ones that weren’t funny OR warm!)

But then my husband came home with one we really enjoyed. It made us laugh, it had a lovely warmth to it, and it worked. (Plus I think he has a bit of a crush on Jennifer Aniston – and the twinkle in Adam Sandler’s eyes works for me.) It’s had some really bad reviews, but we really enjoyed it.

OK, so the plot’s a little on the predictable side – but then, that’s what I want in a romance. Boy meets girl, there’s something that keeps them apart, and they resolve this conflict to get their happy-ever-after. What I’m looking for in a romcom (whether film or book) is the journey.

And so we have successful surgeon Danny Maccabee (Adam Sandler) who’s been badly hurt (jilted very publicly) and has opted for no-strings affairs ever since. He wears a fake wedding ring, saying that he’s getting divorced (and this usually means he gets consoled by the girl he has his eye on). But when he meets Palmer, the girl of his dreams, she insists on meeting his ex-wife so she can be sure that Danny’s ex is OK about him moving on.

Danny persuades his assistant Katherine (Jenifer Aniston) to pretend to be his ex. Hence the title of the film: because whenever he tells a whopper (or she does, for that matter, while in ‘role’ as his ex), he says, ‘Just go with it’.

Danny ends up taking Palmer – and his ex, her ‘new partner’ and her kids – to Hawaii on vacation. Although the kids blackmail him into it (watch out for Maggie, played by Bailee Madison with a lot of verve), he clearly likes the kids; and the more time he spends with Katherine and the kids, the more he falls in love with her (and denies it to himself).

The journey? Danny realises what he really wants from life; Katherine realises that she’s found a man who’s not going to let her down, the way her ex does; and Palmer realises who’s really right for whom.

Good bits about the film? The warmth, the chemistry between Sandler and Aniston, a great cameo role by Nicole Kidman, good supporting cast, and some snappy direction. Our kids enjoyed it as much as we did. So I’d say ‘just go with it’ and enjoy the film ;o)

Kate’s new medical romance, Italian Doctor, No Strings Attached, is out in shops in September in the UK and is also available from e-Harlequin in September. She’s thrilled that her new Modern Romance, A Moment on the Lips, has Vesuvius on the front cover! It’s available in the UK in October (or September from the M&B website) and in the US in November.

You can find out more about these books, and Kate, on her website (http://www.katehardy.com/) and her blog (http://katehardy.blogspot.com/)

Pink Heart Picks: The Maverick's Greek Island Mistress

Donna Alward returns with this month's Pink Heart Picks book club selection - her very first Kelly Hunter book!

One of the best things about being an author is having access to great books all the time and getting recommendations for fab authors and stories. One of the worst things about it is there is simply not enough time to read them all. This was my FIRST Kelly Hunter book - after years of hearing how wonderful her books are! Long overdue.

I know that this book was put out in the UK as a Modern Heat (taken By The Bad Boy) and in the US as a Presents. Because of that I think I started it thinking it would be more...Presents-ish. Don't get me wrong - there are similarities that make sense - the Greek island, the alpha hero, etc but whoever said that Modern Heat was like Presents' sassy little sister was bang on in this case. The hero (Pete) and heroine (Serena) are modern day career oriented people that are a touch more real life than the usual Presents fantasy in my opinion. There is also a coziness to the family and community that you usually don't see in a Presents - I think it comes down to voice to be honest. I like both flavours, but I'll admit it sort of surprised me. Not in a bad way, just different from my expectation.

I really liked Serena. She was beautiful, confident, not too proud, hardworking, and compassionate. She understood Pete like no one else. Pete was strong, sexy, conflicted, and determined. They complemented each other really well. The setting was gorgeous. In the beginning they agree that because they are both only on the island for a short time it will be a temporary relationship. Fun. Of course that doesn't work and it really interferes with Serena's plans.

Then there's the addition of her cousin Nico, hotel owner Chloe and her nephew Sam. At first I thought there might be too much of them in the story, but when things come to a climax you understand WHY. Everyone has a very important role to play.

To be honest, this could have totally worked as a longer book. There could have been bits in Nico and Chloe and even Sam's point of view. There could have been flashbacks to a specific event in Pete's past. It had that big book feel in a smaller format. I don't often say this about category romances, but I got to the end and wished there was more. Not that the story wasn't complete, because it was. But I would have liked to have visited a little bit longer. :-) I read it in one sitting as the pages just seemed to keep turning themselves!

Kelly has a great voice, with a lot of humour and wit that is balanced by emotion and poignancy. I'm hoping Pete's brothers have books too? Because I'll be looking for more of her books to read.

What's up next?

A very special story and a new release.

I love military heroes, so in September I'm hanging out with a struggling soldier in THE HEART OF A HERO by Barbara Wallace. You can get it anywhere Harlequin Romances are sold - on eharlequin right now or after the official release date (September 6) everywhere else!

Join me back here on September 29 to chat about it and find out what I'm reading in October!

Writer Wednesday:Top Tips for New Voices from Editor Flo Nicoll

Mills and Boon Editor Flo Nicoll gives some of the Mills and Boon Editors top tips for New Voices 2011.

As you might know, on 13^th September 2011 we launch our second global search for fresh writing talent to join Mills & Boon’s galaxy of romantic fiction stars.

We’re looking for talented new authors, and if you’ve got a romance bubbling away in your head we want to hear from you! But before you put pen to paper, here are some top tips on how to make your romance stand out from the crowd…

Understand what our readers want: Do your research! Read as many of the current titles as you can, and get to know the different series with our guidelines on www.millsandboon.co.uk.

Love your characters: Readers follow their emotional journey to falling in love. Focus on this, not elaborate, weird and wonderful plots.

Make the reader want to walk in your heroine’s shoes: She should be believable, someone your reader can identify with. Explore her life, her triumphs, hopes, dreams. She doesn’t need to be perfect—just perfect for your hero…she can have

flaws just like the rest of us!

The reader should fall in love with your hero! Mr Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, Russell Crowe in Gladiator or Daniel Craig as James Bond are all gorgeous in different ways. Have your favourite hero in mind when you’re writing and get inspired!

Emotional Conflict: Just as real-life relationships have ups and downs, so do the heroes and heroines in novels. Conflict between the two main characters generates emotional and sensual tension.

Avoiding the dreaded cliché: Open your story book with a bang—hook your reader in on the first page and show them instantly that this story is unique.

A successful writer can use a conventional theme and twist it to deliver something with real wow factor!

Once you’ve established the direction of your story, bring in fresh takes and new twists to these traditional storylines.

Here are four things to remember:

-          Stretch your imagination

-          Stay true to the genre

-          It’s all about the characters—start with them, not the plot!

-          M&B is about creating fantasy out of reality. Surprise us with your characters stories and ideas!

So whether it’s a marriage of convenience story, a secret baby theme, a traumatic past or a blackmail story, make sure you add your own unique sparkle which will make your readers come back for more!

Finally, good luck with your writing! We look forward to meeting your fabulous heroines and drop-dead gorgeous heroes!

Have your say or enter New Voices at: www.romanceisnotdead.com

Deadline Recipes : : Summer Comfort Food

Anne McAllister is not on deadline at the moment -- or at least it's far enough away that she's not in total panic mode. But that doesn't mean she doesn't have recipes up her sleeve. And this one is a particular favorite as well as being something of a comfort food in hot weather.

Come Thanksgiving when everyone in the US is making pumpkin pies to top of Thanksgiving dinner, at our house we'll be having pie, too. But it won't be pumpkin. It will be key lime.

Not really a fan of pumpkin pie, I used to happily forego dessert as a child when Thanksgiving rolled around. Yes, really.

But when I grew up and began to make the dinner myself, I realized that nowhere w

as it WRITTEN that we had to have pumpkin pie. It would be non-traditional, but not a sacrilege to h ave something else.

My favorite pie? Key lime.

So I began to make key lime pie for Thanksgiving. It went over well with most of my immediate family. Though not everyone is as enamoured of it as I am.

But we generally had someone coming for dinner who, when they said, "What can I bring?" was always offered the option of bringing the pumpkin pie. Many did, so the traditionalists among us were happy also.

But then I branched out -- discovering that lime was more versatile than simply working well in pies.

This year for my birthday, my husband (bless him) made a dish called Caribbean Chicken with Limes, which is wonderful and which has lime and tomatoes and celery and onion and cabbage in it as well as chicken. The recipe also makes enough for us to eat it for nearly a week, which saves on cooking if deadlines are looming.

Happily, this time, one wasn't. But I will be remembering it for end of September when one is.

We also stumbled across a marvelous recipe for another lime dessert which is sort of a lime version of chocolate sink-holes.

Chocolate sink-holes are gorgeous. But I am pretty much convinced that I actually prefer the lime version. They are not as overpowering. They are able to be eaten, not

merely sampled a spoonful at a time. Well, I suppose you could. But I can eat one.

It's also a way to use up lots of limes, which seem to be in abundance at this time of year -- either in one's yard or in the supermarket.

However if they are not, reconstituted lime juice works well for the juice part of the recipe. But trust me, you will want one lime to zest for the peel. It does add a sharpness to the flavor that you'll miss if you don't have it.

I modified the recipe a little from the one I found.

This is the one I use. Tinker with it if you are inclined. A little less flour makes it 'soupier.' More will make it 'cakier.' Adjust little by little to get it just right for your taste.

Lime Sink-holes

2 TBSP butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/3 cup + 1/2 TBSP all-purpose flour

dash salt

1/2 cup lime juice (fresh or reconstituted)

1 tsp lime zest (peel grated very fine)

3 eggs, separated

1 1/4 cups of

whole or 2% milk

In medium bowl, combine butter and sugar til crumbly. Add flour, salt, lime juice and peel. Mix well.

Separate the eggs, add the yolks to the milk (I have used skim milk with some left over cream. You don't want heavy cream stuff, but you don't want all skim, either. Use your own judgement), whisk together, then add mixture to the above mix, combining til smooth.

Beat egg whites til stiff (make sure the whites peak). Then fold into batter.

Divide among 6 6 oz ramekins or custard cups. Put the cups i

n a large baking pan (mine is 10" by 15") and then add 1 inch of boiling water around the cups in the pan.

Bake in a 325 degree oven for 40-48 minutes. They should be getting slightly brown on top and not looking ripply if you jiggle the pan. You can try inserting a knife to see how liquid the filling is, but it's never going to come out clean because, hey, this is pudding as well as cakey stuff.

Serve warm or cold. They're amazing.

Anne is hard at work on a new book. Her upcoming title, The Night That Changed Everything, will be released from Mills & Boon Modern in October and as a Harlequin Presents Extra in November.

It's the story of what happened to another couple -- Nick Savas and Edie Tremayne -- the night that Nick's cousin Demetrios married Princess Adriana at Mont Chamion (in The Virgin's Proposition -- Harlequin Presents, Sept 2010)

The Call - Scarlet Wilson

We adore call stories, and we're pleased as punch to welcome new Medicals author Scarlet Wilson to the Pink Heart Society today to tell us about how she got The Call...

People know when they're getting The Call don't they? No, they don't. I can testify to that. So can the poor man and his dog who were walking by the side of the road that I nearly ran over!

I got The Call on Friday 21 January at 1.34pm. And truth be told, I was in a bad mood. I'd just dashed home at lunch time to see if a parcel had arrived - and needless to say it hadn't. So I was driving back to work when the phone rang. The number appeared on the dash board 0802.... and I had no idea who it was, so I just hit the button on my wheel and said hello.

And then I heard those words.. "Hi, it's Sally Williamson. How are you.....?"

How are you? I'm in heart failure! And as the car took a little swerve, so was the man at the side of the road.

I couldn't breathe. I'd won a place on the eharlequin medical pitch in March 2010. I'd had a request for a partial, then a request for the full. I was working with Sally and was lucky enough to meet her at RNA conference in London that year, where she took me for a drink and had a chat with me about my writing. Then I had four sets of revisions. Yes, you read correctly - four sets. After set three I phoned Kate Hardy, one of the other medical authors in tears because I didn't think I could do it. She gave me the best advice ever. I was struggling with something I'd been asked to do that I didn't think was right for my character. Kate told me to "give the editor what she wants - just give her it in a different way." And so I did. Sally had phoned me at that point too, to talk through some of the revisions with me, and let me know what was working and what wasn't.

But I'd forgotten about that. I'd forgotten that she already had my phone number. I'd seen other Call stories and people always seemed to have an email beforehand from the editor arranging a time to "Call". So I was taken completely by surprise. So was Sally when I screamed in her ear when she said she wanted to buy my book.

Then I ran down the long corridor at work shouting "I write for Mills and Boon!" The girls at work knew that I'd been trying to write medicals and they managed to spirit a cake and card out of thin air. I emailed my critique partners and online friends, then went home to tell my beloved, my mum and dad and my sisters. My parents had no idea what I'd been trying to do so they were very surprised but delighted for me.

I don't think I really believed it until I saw the email that Sally sent me, confirming some details and sorting out my contract.

And since then each step of the way had been a huge learning curve. Picking a pseudonym, doing author alterations, setting up a website, seeing my first cover, signing the contracts, setting up a Facebook page. Best of all, was opening the box of author copies and getting to hold my book in my hands.

And I'd like to share, so please leave a comment on the blog today and I'll pick a winner and send you one of my books. Distance no object!


After one hot date....

Dr Cooper Roberts has a new job and the chance to begin a new life. What's most definitely not in his plans? Waking up with his new colleague, Melissa Bell....And having to hold his head up above the dropped jaws of his fellow docs as he escorts Missy to buy a pregnancy test!

website http://www.scarlet-wilson.com